The Royal Treatment
by Puppy
Summary: Max is bummed her friends ditched her in V-day but Eyes Only just might have something in store.
1. This bites

Max drove fast and furiously down the streets of Seattle. The wind blowing through her hair she made turn after turn avoiding sector checkpoints and had to swerve ever once and a while to avoid some distracted couple.   
"Why couldn't this holiday have died with the pulse like all the other ones" she thought. "No one celebrates St. Patricks day anymore," she said bitterly into the wind. It wasn't that she hated Valentines Day. When she had a boyfriend they gave her the royal treatment. But this year was supposed to be different. Kendra, O.C., and her were supposed to spent the holiday boy less...well O.C. was always boy less. Mate less they were going to party all night. But oh no Mr. Multiples decided to plan a get away and Corsage or whatever her name is decided to be not so celibate. "This bites," she said outloud. Even Logan had ditched her for some family tradition. Not that she would have asked him to do anything on Valentines Day with her anyway.   
She suddenly and purposefully found herself on Logan's street. She looked up at him apartment to see soft lights shining through the glass, it almost looked like it was from a flashlight. She zoomed in but she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The light, however, was reflecting off of more than a window and it seemed to be flickering. She was about to stop to investigate when her pager suddenly went off. She looked down to see Logan's number on it. She held her breath for a second. What if whoever was in Logan's apartment had gotten a hold of her number and was trying to draw her there? The Reds might still be in town. This could be a trap. But that didn't explain the light. She stopped her bike at the next payphone and dialed Logan's cell.   
"Hey," He answered.   
"Hey what's up?"   
"Are you doing anything right now?" He asked cautiously.   
"Why?"   
"I need a package picked up. But it can wait if you're busy."   
"I'm out riding anyway." Max looked up at Logan's penthouse from the phone and to her surprise saw him wheel up to the window.   
"It's at 1256 Gunson."   
"Okay. So how's your aunt?" She asked.   
"She's good." Max saw a grin on his face.   
"What is he up to?" she asked herself.   
"So if you can drop it at my place I'd be grateful. I'll assume you can get in alright."   
"Yeah, no big dealio" Max said distractedly as she watched Logan back away from the window with the phone cradled against his shoulder.   
"Thanks Max." She hung up at his last line, never liking goodbyes. She got back on her bike and started it up.   
"So you want to play, let's play," she said kind of happily. Her life needed a little mystery every once and a while.   
  



	2. Package number one

The Royal Treatment   
Part 2   
She watched the buildings fly by, mentally counting down to her destination. She pulled to a stop and pushed back her yellow glasses. The sign on the building read "Sibelius's Bistro." She sighed and thought to herself "What's your game Logan." She unconsciously smiled as she strode through the front door, adjusting her backpack as she approached the Host. He did a double take as he looked up at her. Max didn't exactly fit in with the high-class décor. However, with the leather jacket and tight jeans he wasn't going to deny her the right to dine.   
  
"Miss…are you dinning alone?" She looked around studying the place before slapping on a thousand-watt smile and turning to him.   
  
"No. I'm hear to pick up a package." He looked at her blankly for a moment, lost in her face, then shook himself back to reality.   
  
"What's the name?"   
  
"Cale, Logan Cale." The hostess looked shocked the stammered out.   
  
"Oh yes of course. It'll be just a moment." She continued to study the place as he went off for the kitchen. It was just an old pub but with the right amount of candles, it had a romantic flare. People considered the illusion of the days before the pulse a luxury and this place stepped right out of the past. She snapped to attention as a short rounded man walked towards her from the kitchen. He was carrying a box about a foot and a half long and seemed to be holding it as if it was the greatest possession in the world and he was staring straight at her. He held it out and she took it carefully.   
  
"What is it?" She asked curiously, weighing it in her arms trying to guess. It was rather heavy for such a small package. The man smiled even more and had a hint of mischief in his eyes.   
  
"It's…a secret." Max smiled and him in curious disbelief and turned to leave. The man's words stopped her.   
  
"Be very careful with that. It's very fragile." She nodded to him and said her thanks. As she was walking out the door she turned it over and found an envelope attached to it that said "Max" and was written in Logan's handwriting. She took it off and flipped it over. There was noting on the back so she ripped it open and inside was a card with another address. She put the box in her backpack and sped away to the next mystery.   
  



	3. Package number two

Max caught herself going a little too fast a few times and was surprised she hadn't been pulled over yet. The police seemed to like to harass cute girls on motorcycles. Never the less she was impatient and wanted to get back to Logan's as soon as possible.   
She again counted down the address and to her shock found herself stopping in front of a chop shop. It wasn't hidden well but these days it didn't have to be. She pulled into the shop and put on her best attitude.   
  
"Hey I'm here for a pick." She shouted. Several heads appeared from around cars and she heard a few whistles and catcalls.   
  
"Yeah I was waiting for u'se," she turned to see an older man walking up to her. He was wiping his hand on an already soiled rag and she just hoping he wasn't looking to introduce himself properly.   
  
"Where are you from? Brooklyn?"  
  
"Yeah somein like dat. Package for Cale right."  
  
"Right."   
  
"Step into my office," he said gesturing to a little door. She followed him but remained in the doorway. He picked up a box off his desk and handed it to her. It was shorter than the last one but wider. "Oh yeah," he said turning back to the desk. "I almost forgot the card." He handed her yet another card that had her name on it written in Logan's handwriting. She smiled as she turned around and headed back out, giving him an absent minded thanks.   
  
Her smile suddenly dropped as she saw one of the grease monkeys checking out her bike. He was rubbing the engine with his hand and she could just imagine all the smudges he was making. She grabbed that offending hand and twisted it behind his back. He squirmed in her gasp.   
  
"You don't touch a girl's bike, got that?"   
  
"Yeah, yeah I got it."  
  
"Good," she said throwing him to the side. She kneeled down, licked her leather-clad finger and rubbed the smudge off. "Did he hurt you?" She said in a babied voice. She climbed aboard and opened the envelope. She sighed, yet another address. She put the package in her bag, which made it half full and speed off.   
  
The elder man watched her go and said, "D*** that Cale is a lucky man." The grease monkey joined him and starred after her too."  
  
"Yeah he probably gets to ride on that bike too." The elder man gave him a disgusted look and smack him up side the head.   
  
"Get back to work."   
  
Max meanwhile couldn't contain her smile. The deliveries had been leading away from the penthouse and now this one was two blocks away from it. She was sure this had to be the last one.   
  



	4. Package number three

Max again stopped but this time she had a frown on her face. The address was 682 1/2. "And a half," she said to herself. The half wasn't so odd especially in an urban setting but there wasn't stairs anywhere to lead to another store and the address was at the end of the block as it was. She shrugged dismounted and walked into 682. It was a little grocery store. The shelves were mostly empty and the whole place was dirty but that was normal. She walked up to the counter at the back of the store.   
"I'm looking for 682 and a half."   
  
"Go back outside and walk around to the alley." The young woman said not looking up from her prepulse magazine.   
  
"It's so sad they got divorced," Max said looking at the article the girl was reading. It was of Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe. The woman frowned and put the magazine down and glared at Max who was already strutting back towards the entrance.   
  
She wheeled her bike around the corner and to the end of the building. She was surprised to find a whole other world. There was countless booths leading down the block. She frowned a disgusted frown and started to walk down the aisle. She really didn't want to ask every person on the block if they had a pick up for her and she wasn't about to. She went to leave when a woman walked up to her.   
  
"Are you Mrs. Cale?" she asked. In her hands was a box wrapped in gold paper. Max smiled at what the woman had said.   
  
"No but I was sent by Mr. Cale."   
  
"What is your name?" the woman asked.   
  
"Max." she responded knowing it must be a test of some kind.   
  
"Max," the woman said holding out the package. "This is for you." Max's face had a weird smile on it as she took the package. Her fingers itched to open it but a cynical voice in her head said, "Chill out girl it's probably not even for you." That thought was dashed when the woman held out a small piece of the gold wrapping. Max took it and unfolded it. Inside was written "Dinner's ready, Logan." The grin widened on her face and she looked at it a lot longer then the words took to read. It was like the card was calling her home and not just for dinner. She carefully stuffed the box in her bag, taking an extra second to brush her hand over it, and said a quick thanks before running off, her bike in tow. 


	5. Employee Appreciation Day

Warning: too much exposure to this fic with give you tooth decay. Oh and it makes more sense if you've seen "Red"   
Max parked her bike in the basement parking lot and took the elevator to the penthouse. She contemplated using the doorbell but then she remembered what Logan had said about letting herself in. She pulled out her knife, unlocked the door, and walked through.   
  
Her mouth opened slightly as the sight before her left her speechless. The apartment was dark except for the two rows of candles set on the floor. It was creating a trail and the cobblestone of the trail was a thin carpet of rose petals. She took off the backpack and set it on the floor. She took off her jacket and boots (not wanting to dent the petals) and set them by her bag.   
  
She walked down the path and little smile gracing her lips. The trail led through Logan's room and into the master bath. She stood looking in to the room in awe. There was candles on every countertop, every shelf, and lining the tub, which was steaming. The air was filled with the sweet smell of oils and she could already imagine herself climbing into the hot bath.   
  
She walked up to the tub and picked up the card that was resting on the edge. Inside it said, "You go above and beyond for me every day," she frowned a little with the mention of work but continued reading, "I though you deserved to go back to where you came from." Max grinned and put the card back down.   
  
Later...  
Max lay in the warm water and let the sweet smell of the oils flood her senses. She took in a deep breath and let out a moan that almost sounded like a purr. It had been about a half-hour and the water was beginning to cool but the feeling was to great to give up.   
She was startled as the door opened slightly and a package was snaked around the edge and dropped on the floor. Torn between staying in the bath and finding what was in the box she deliberated for a second. "Well you know what they say about cat's and curiosity," she thought to herself. Mysteriously there were no towels to be found but that was probably a good considering the flames all around her. Thankful that Logan's apartment was warm and breeze proof so Max stood up in the tub and walked over to the box. She lifted the lid to find a brand new large white towel. She smiled. "Logan you're a god." She lifted it up and ran her hands over it. Not only was it new but it was the soft and fuzzy kind. She dried herself off and changed back into her clothes. Then carefully hung the towel up to dry, extinguishing a few candles just to be safe.   
  
Max was going to stick her head around the door, feeling like a kid on Christmas, but she resisted and blew through the door in her usual over confident way.   
  
"Logan?" she called as she walked.   
  
"In the kitchen." She grinned and walked in that direction. The fluorescent light from the kitchen suddenly went out and she followed the candle glow. She stopped at the edge of the room and leaned against the separator. Logan looked up at her with a little grin. They starred at each other for a minute. Logan was freshly shaven, which was such a rarity that she had forgotten how it looked…it looked good. He was dressed nicely in a black sweater turtleneck and she assumed khakis (he was behind the table after all). He had that cute anticipation look on his face.   
  
"So what's with the royal treatment?" she asked.   
  
"I thought we should have an employee appreciation day," he quipped back.   
  
"So did Bling get a bath too?"   
  
"Yeah but he likes bubbles." Max laughed and grabbed a seat across from him at the table. She went to dig in but he was still staring at her.   
  
"What are you waiting for? Don't want it to get cold do you?" she laughed while taking a helping of the pasta dish.   
  
"Of course not," he smiled turning his attention to the food in front of them. "I almost forgot." He said purposefully as he reached around to the back of his chair. He pulled out one of the boxes Max had collected and opened it. From it, he drew a bottle of good pre-pulse wine.   
  
  



	6. When you use the word faith, I start to ...

"So what is Mr. Eyes only doing taking a night off. Isn't some widow in great peril." Max picked up her wineglass and took a sip.   
"Not tonight. All of the widows, children, and lost puppies are safely tucked in their beds." As Logan spoke the words he was thinking how nice it would be to tuck Max into bed.   
"Logan why did you really do all this?"  
"I wanted to do something special for you. Getting back my mother's locket for me was a big deal. It meant a lot to me. And Original Cindy called me and told me about your plans falling through. I figured your activities for today would only include a little quality time with your bike." He smirked and backed away from the table, "That reminds me." He wheeled over to the table against the far wall and picked grabbed the package. She recognized it as one of the packages she had picked up today. He set it on the table in front of her. She looked at it then back at him. "Aren't you going to open it?" She looked at him seriously for a moment.   
"Logan all this stuff, don't you think it's a little over the top."  
"What do you mean?" his grin dropping a little.   
"I mean. You don't have to give me gifts to keep me coming back," she said without realizing the significance of her words. Logan smiled and he remembered then time when he had told Bling that money was the only thing he had. If she didn't care about the money what did she care about?   
"I know," he said certainly.   
"Good cause the suspense is killing me." She joked as she went to tear open the package, something that didn't take much for her. She looked inside to find four black bottles of motor oil. She pulled them out and looked at the labels. They were good quality brands and he had even remembered to get both kinds that she needed.   
"Thanks," she said turned her warm smile on him. He almost melted into a puddle right there. "So do you have anything else planned or is it my turn."  
"I had one more thing but that's for later...Why?" he asked suspiciously because she was grinning from ear to ear.   
"I have something for you but it might take a little faith."   
"Should I be worried?"   
"Is Mr. Eyes only afraid?"  
"When you use the word faith I start to wonder." She grinned and stood up.   
"I have to get some stuff. I'll be back in a little while." She walked out grinning mischievously 


	7. The ride

Logan sat in his chair blindfolded. She had driven then out into the night leaving him blind in the passenger seat. Then when they arrived she disappeared mysteriously saying that she would be back. He was of course tempted to take off the blindfold but she seemed so excited about what ever she was doing. That worried him but he didn't want to disappoint her. He knew where they were, he knew what she was doing and for some reason he was letting her. He heard a sound of a pebble hitting concrete to his right and he snapped his head in that direction. Another noise came from the other side and he glowered.   
"Max!"  
"Sorry I couldn't help it," she laughed. She realized it probably wasn't the best time to be putting him on edge but he was so use to being in control, well except for his disability but that actually caused him to become even more of a control freak.   
  
"Can I take off the blindfold yet."  
  
"Not yet." She grinned to herself.   
  
He grabbed his armrests as he felt his chair being moved unexpectedly. But he didn't question her; he just went along for the ride. The chair stopped and he heard the sound of Max's jeans as she walked around in front of him. He heard a click and then another and then Max walked around behind him and he heard two more.   
  
"Max what are you doing?" Logan asked nervously.   
  
"It's a surprise. Just sit back and enjoy the ride." He heard another click, this time above his head and the sound of rope being pulled tight. He realized that Max obviously wasn't kidding about the ride part as his chair jerked. He instinctively reached down to his wheels and he found them remarkably loose. As if they weren't touching the ground.   
  
"Max did I ever tell you I don't like surprises." He looked up at where he thought she must be and she had to laugh, to herself of course. He looked so cute trying to squirm out of the situation. He was shocked as Max sat across his lap and put one of her arms around his shoulder.   
  
"You know what your problem is Logan?" She asked studying his face shamelessly, after all he could see her do it.   
  
"I'm blindfolded, dangling in the air, and have no idea where I am." He practically jumped as he heard a mechanical whir and his chair did in fact jump. She reached down with her free hand and pried off one of his that was clutching his wheel. Despite her strength it was hard. She entwined her fingers in his.   
  
"You need to learn to relax," she said in her nonsense way, trying not to sound too amused. Her eyes were suddenly fixed on his lips. God, she could almost feel what it would be like to kiss him again. The kiss from the cabin was perfect and she could definitely go for a sequel. She resisted the feeling and instead she removed her arm from his shoulder and snuggled into it. She almost didn't catch herself before she let out a sigh. Logan hesitated then put an arm around her. His worries were thrown to the back of his mind as the smell of the sweet oils permeated his senses. He knew what she was thinking because at the time she was close enough that he could feel her warm breath on his skin and d**n he was think the same thing. Thankfully she had sat back otherwise he wouldn't have resisted taking off the blindfold and...well at the though of taking off the blindfold Logan froze. Max sat forward and looked at his face.   
  
"What's wrong?"   
  
"Nothing." Logan said trying to hide the fear in his voice.   
  
"Okay." She said as she sat back. She tipped her head back and watched their progress. They were half way there and half of her wished they could stay like this forever but the other half knew for her own sanity they'd better get there soon.   
  



	8. The gift in the gold box

They came to an abrupt halt and for all the good it did Logan looked around, secretly wishing he had bat radar. The abrupt stop had caused them to sway and that made him extremely unnerved. Max tilted her head up so her lips were near his ear.   
  
"Logan?" she said, softly, trying to calm him down and not realizing she was causing extremely conflicting emotions.   
  
"Mmm. What Max."   
  
"I want you to sit reeealy still. Can you do that?"   
  
"Sure," he said trying to keep his voice steady. The up was bad, the dangling was worse. She sat there for a moment wincing to herself.   
  
"This was going to suck" she though as she jumped from his lap, using the arm and foot rests for leverage. Which according to Newton's laws created and equal and opposite reaction...Logan was accelerated in the opposite direction. Max landed and turned around. She held her breath as the chair swung to the other side and almost hit the wall. She caught the chair as it came back at her, leaving Logan slightly at an angle as she reached up and pushed a button on the climber. The chair was slowly lowered to the ground.   
  
"Max...no more surprises...ever again...please."   
  
"It's almost over. I promise," Max said as she unclipped his chair.   
  
Max wheeled his chair over to the window and took off his blindfold. She then handed him his glasses and he looked out on the great city of Seattle. During the day the city would look dirty and a little worn but the nighttime hid the grime and rubble, and the city almost looked clean.   
  
"Usually I would stand up top but I think I though that might not be the best idea." Logan only answered her with a stare and slight grin. He looked back at the city and took in the view again.   
  
"Max this really is amazing. Thank you." He looked back to see her smiling warmly at him.   
  
"I though you should get a better look at what you're trying to save. You know as a kind of company retreat," she said playing off the significance of the gift.   
  
"You're not going to drag me up here every time I decide to take a night off are you cause you know I think I'm going to be busy every night...for a long while," he joked.   
  
"Wuss," she said as she strolled up to the window. Logan ignored the view and watched her. She was even more beautiful with the moon lighting up her face.   
  
In her head, Max was thinking how right it felt to bring him here. He was the only person she had asked to come here the only person she trusted to know about most of her secrets, although that wasn't really by choice. She smiled and remembered the scene at Logan's when she had just met him. "Lydecker would have been so pissed", she though to herself. "I was exposed and in possibly hostile territory and I didn't even mind." At that thought, she looked back at Logan who had obviously just averted his gaze from her. It was obvious he was into her and she knew she liked him so why were they stuck with the parking brake on.   
  
"So do you want the whole 360 degree tour," Max said breaking the silence.   
  
"I think the view here is perfect," he said as he looked deep into her eyes and she swore her heart skipped a beat. "Besides I have the last part of your gift to give you and I think now is the right time." He reached around to his little storage pocket and pulled out the gold wrapped box. He smiled at the childlike expression that suddenly grazed her face. He handed it to her and watched as she very carefully unwrapped the box making sure to keep the paper in as good of shape as possible and after she finished, folded it up and put it in her jacket pocket. She shook the box and grinned at him before opening it. From inside she pulled a gold chain and connected to that chain was a gold locket with antique designs on the cover. She carefully opened the locket and found a picture that looked remarkably like her but not quite. She looked up at Logan questioningly and then back at the picture.   
  
"Logan?" She asked uncertainly.   
  
"I found the picture a few weeks ago. I wanted to tell you right away but Bling had a better idea." Logan was shocked into silence as Max lifted her gaze from the locket and there were tears in her eyes. "Max," he said gently, trying to comfort her. He had expected this to be a big deal but he had never before seen her cry before. "Come here and I'll put it on for you." Max obeyed and sat on his lap as he pulled her hair aside and fumbled with the little clasp. After he had finally gotten it closed, she turned around, put her hands on either side of his face and just kissed him. Logan's shock didn't last long as almost instinctively, he put his arms around her and pulled her even closer, if that was possible. She moved her arms around his shoulders and let him deepen the kiss. After a moment she pulled away a little and looked into his eyes... 


	9. The End

So here is the ending and finished at quite a fitting time because it is just now officially Valentines day.   
"What are you thinking?" Logan asked. Max had been staring at him for a little while in silence.   
  
"I got the best friend, the work buddies, all in all I could be figured for a pretty normal girl. But I never had the prince, never though I could let someone in like that." She paused. "Maybe even a genetically engineered killing machine can be swept off their feet."  
  
"You're the one who did the sweeping part I just came along for the ride." Logan teased.   
  
"You know what I mean." Max said grinning back.   
  
"I do," Logan expression became serious and his eyes held her with such tenderness she couldn't speak but that didn't matter because Logan pulled her in for another kiss. Time was lost and neither of them cared. They kissed and talked and joked and kissed and when the sun came up Logan could help but think of the symbolic connection of the night they shared and the sun heralding a new day. It was like fate was rolling out the red carpet.   
  
"Are you ready to go home?" Max asked as the sun stopped it's heralding. She was leaning with her back against him so she had to look up to see his face. She didn't want to say it but wanted to get back before the dawn had lifted, everything always seemed kind of magical in the early morning.   
  
"I would but I don't think I can let go." She smiled back up at him, as he squeezed her a little tighter, and gave him a quick kiss.   
  
"Your just scared of going back down," she laughed. He inhaled sharply and grimaced.   
  
"That too"   
  
"You know in my training we learned that one of the best evaders of fear is to just not think about it."   
  
"You volunteering be the distraction," Logan said with a wicked grin.   
  
"Maybe," she said with a glint in her eye that turned his mind to mush. "Come on Romeo. Let's get back to the palace," she said as she got up.   
  
Later when Cindy asked her what she and Logan did for Valentines Day she responded. "We had dinner, took in the sites, same old same old." O.C. responded with a "whatever" and rolled her eyes. But then Max couldn't see the stupid grin on her own face.   
  
At 5:15 Max strode into Logan's apartment and found him in his computer room. She watched him for a moment then let out a fake little cough. Logan did a double take then a boyish grin appeared on his face.   
  
"I've been waiting for you to stop by."  
  
"You have another mission for me O great and powerful eyes only."  
  
"No," he said simply. "just dinner."   
  
"Like I said before, don't stop the world on account of me," she said seriously   
  
"If it makes you feel better I have some recon you can do later," his grin was infectious. She rolled her eyes and headed off towards the kitchen. He rolled up behind her and took a gentle hold on her arm. She turned then let herself be pulled into his lap for a passionate kiss.   
  
"If that was dinner I can't wait for desert," she joked. .   
  
"That was just an appetizer." Logan said grinning. She kissed him again and well the dinner Logan had prepared had gotten a little cold before they finally got around to eating it.   
  
THE END   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  



End file.
